Gurgaon-based A&A Labels is a manufacturer and exporter of a wide range of industrial labels and stickers for over 20 years. The company has consistently experienced growth due to its continuous expansion and technology upgradation to meet the growing demands of its discerning customers. Discussing some of these expansions, Anubhav Jain of A&A Labels says, “In 2016, we installed a 2-color roll-to-roll screen printing press to enhance our productivity and now we are planning to buy color ink matching making equipment in order to strengthen our quality and service to customers.”
“The main expansion of our company was the installation of a Lombardi Synchroline 430 flexo press in the year 2015. We are the first company to bring and install this press in India. ” The 3-motor servo flexo press is capable of printing on several kinds of substrates, including paper, light cardboard and flexible films and has thus opened up new applications for the company. Jain informs, “The press has offered us the opportunity to produce labels on flexible film as well as begin the production of monocartons, thereby expanding our portfolio and market reach beyond the regional level.”
The Synchroline 430 is loaded with features and can print 100–150 m per minute whereas it is generally used at speeds from 75–100 m a minute. The design of the press, in addition to its electronic pre-registration system, electronic tension and register controls, ensures minimum waste and high quality consistently. The electronic shaft keeps register accurate by means of an independent servo for each print group while the drive design provides optimum accuracy in register and minimizes the possibility of gear marks. “With the installation of Lombardi Synchroline press, we have noticed a growth of 25–30% in our production capacity,” adds Jain.
A&A Labels almost exclusively manufactures pressure-sensitive labels of which 60% are on paper and 40% are on film substrates. The company supplies to almost every sector, including food, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, personal care, home care, beverages and the liquor industry. It is associated with well-known brands such as VLCC, Shahnaz Husain, MAC personal care in the personal care sector; Fratelli wine and Oasis Distilleries in the liquor industry; and Laborate Pharmaceuticals in the pharma segment amongst other brands. Jain adds, “We started our journey from Naraina in New Delhi with a Mark Andy 2200, 10-inch wide, 6-color narrow web flexo label press and then we installed another full UV 8-color Mark And press in the same plant. Moving to Gurgaon in 2012, we installed two tower-type flexo presses in 5 and 6 colors. Again, in 2014, we installed two Multitec narrow web flexo labels presses—a 6-color and an 8-color.”
Citing quality as the topmost priority of the organization, Jain says, “In order to maintain our quality, we procure our raw materials from Avery Dennison, Siegwerk India and Flint.” Although the company is exporting to overseas markets such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and across India, its biggest market is North India.
Sharing his views on the market situation and current trends, Jain states, “After demonetization we have noticed a growth rate of 10% in our products’ demand, specially in the personal care and pharmaceutical sectors. According to my research, the overall packaging industry is growing at the rate of 20–25% and the organic food segment has also seen a tremendous growth in the past few years, becoming one of the faster growing segments in the packaging industry.” Despite this growth, the customers’ demand for high quality at a low price is still a challenge for the industry. “As far as trends are concerned, digital printing is in high demand and now many companies are investing in digital presses, which in turn will impact the conventional label printers in the coming years,” concludes Jain.
